Combination check, pilot and unloading valve for compressed air systems



May 10, 1932. A. AA sMALLHoUsE 1,857,665

COMBINATION CHECK, PILOT, AND lUNLOADING VALVE FOR COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEMS Filed OG'i'.. l5, 1927 IN VEN TOR.

Y tion will not be effected against pressure in Patented May 1G, 1932 iTED) STATES PATENT ALBERT A. sMALLHoUsE, oF Los ANGnLEsQeALrroRNrA coivrBrNnrIoN annex, PILOT AND UNLoADme vALv'EYroR ewirnnssnnam ssrnivrs' Appiicatin md october` 15, 1927. serial NoQaaaAes.

This invention relates to and has for a main obj ect the systems, particularly tion between a water a compressed air storage tank, but also capable of being used in connection with air cooled compressors as acombine'd check and" unloading valve. i v

In more detail, the object of my invention is to provide a combination valve adapted to be connected between a compressor "and an air storage tank which will serve as acheck valve Jfor retaining the pressure in the tankwhen the compressor is not in operation, and which will additionally serve as an unloading valve forl automatically reducingl the pressure between the valve and the compressor to atmospheric pressure, so that when starting the compressor the starting opera-V the line.

Another object isto provide in ra valvefof the character mentioned, means for connect- In the accompanying drawings I have shown a preferred embodiment Vof my inl* vention, in which:

Fig. `1 is a perspective view of a, valve em-l bodying my improvements and shown in section fer illustrating the internal array-'nge-v ment thereof. y Y l Fig. 2'is a view of the valve operably con nected with an air 4compressor anda compressed air storage tank.- v Referring particularly to Fig. 2, my -im-V proved valve V is adapted'to be connected at an intermediate point between an air com-f presser, shownin broken lines at C, and'an air receiver It. The compressor VC-isofv a water cooled type which is usually provided with a water valve W. Said valve is :ar-

provision of a combination check,` pilot and unloading valve for compressed 'air adapted for connec-I cooled compressor and` ranged forattachmentto the water supply Vline 1, and v'is connected with 'the water-cooling jacket of compressor G bymeans of vato'the receiving tankR bymeans of a pipe '8.' It is desirable that my -improved valve Vi-bel nipple 2. -Compressor C yis usually attached attached atA an VKintermediatepointbetween f the compressor@ and receiver `.R,Ija"njd-toV this' end Iprovidejon` the body= of Ythe valve, and at one side thereo anl internally threadedi inlet 4 lior Vconnection with-agsectionj 5 ofthe pipeBQ- 'Onthe oppositesideof the body VB,1I provid'ekan internally threaded outlet 6 for connection with a section 7 of- 'pipe 3 leading to-thelairreceiver'R.

t The vai' 4from the'compress the pipes 3 and 5 and inlet'll, int-o a central chamber b fformed' inA thebody.V Said chamberis in communication with an `upper chami ber 5 by meansof a central ori1'ic'e`8 formed in a boss 9 which extends upwardly from a horizontal partition'lO which Cseparates"the aow.

j; or flows through chambers b ,and b .1 Chamber bf communi; I

cates with'the pipef7though1=the outlet-'6.

Thus when thecompre'ssorfis operating thel air flows through*V inlet l of the valve into chamber b, Ithence through oriiice 8' and thIOllgh hamber bto the receiving tank B i Body B is provided with` an upwardly @X i 'o l tended neck v9 which is threaded at 10 to receive a portion Y11 of'a cylinder 12 whichextends Vdownwardly Ythrough the portion 13 of chamber b and depends substantially intol said chamber A'The cylinder 12V is pro-VY vided -with a flanged top'l/l whichjabuts ai iange 15 formed,` 'oni the top of portionv 9.A

TheA cylinder 12l is bored Vat "16 to slfidablyj receive a hollow 'stem 17 of a'piston'valve 'P,f

which has an enlarged headv '18 on the lower end', thereof ,disposed l above the passage S, 1n-

the partition 10. Piston P vmay thereon byineans of'a screwl. Saiddisc be provided with a suitable i .gasket or packing' disc- 2O 'which mayl be' held.

oef

is Vadapted to engagethe upper end ofboss 9 forl "closing communication between' the0 chambers b and bf jwhen'and'as described; y. Y

hereinafter. g s, Cylinder' 12 vis passage in the upper v'portion th'e'reofo'r` provided with'a restricted nication with the chamber b by means of a diaphragm D which is'he'ld, as shown iny Fig. 1, between the members Band B. Chamber 25 has an outlet 26 with a passage 26 therein which may be threaded to receive avent pipe 28 to the atmosphere.

The lower end of member B2 is provided witha cylindrical extension 29 on the lower end of whichis provided a: horizontalv portion 27 having apassage 27"extending theref th'rough,`and communicating with a .vertical passage k3Q formed in the portion 29. 'Ihe passage 30 is separatedfrom the chamber 25V inmember B by means of a horizontal partition 31, in which a conical valve seat 32 is' centrally formed for receiving a needle-valve 33, which serves to regulate communication between the chambers 25 and 30.

One end of the portion 27 is connected by means of a pipe 34 with the upper portion of water valve W on the compressor, while the other endofsaid portionI is connected Vby means of a pipe 35 with a T 36 attached communication with the tol they compressor discharge pipe 3. Thus the chamber 30fand passage 27 are in constant pipe 3, and the*- air chamber and valve W.

The pressure inthe chamber wheni the compressor C is in operation is exertedidownwardly against' the diaphragm D, and said diaphragm engages a hea-d 3701i the stem 38 of valve 33,V so thatin such case valve 33 is firmly seated in its seat 32 and is so held against the vtension of a coil spring 39- which is compressed between thef head 37 and partition 3- When. the compressor C is inoperation, piston P will be urged upwardly by pressure in chambers b and ZJ', so that air mayfreel-y How from the compressor to thevreceiver R. When the compressor ceases operation, however,I the back pressure in vchamber b will be' transferred tothe vborel of cylinder 12',

.through the passage 22 for effecting the seating of the piston valve P on the boss 9y ove-r 1 passage 8.. In such condi-tion the piston P' Y serves as a check valve to retain in the receiver R.

. Following the operationofthe check 'valvey Y P, the pressure in thev chamber will drop substantially rand'perrnit the restorationof' the diaphragm valve D te normal position,

whereupon the tens-ion of spring 39 will beV 1 exerted against the head 37 of val-ve 33,'and

said valve will move upwardly'and establish f communication between chambers 25 and 30.

automatically closed. Y Y

It will be obvious that the diaphragm D` the pressure In such case the pressure in pipe 3 will i'low through the pipe 35, passages 27 and 30 into chamber 25, and thence outwardly through chamber 28 to the atmosphere, thus unloading the pressure in the pipe 3 above the compressor.

The water valve "W is pressure operated for retaining the valveopen during the operation of the compressor, and is tension operated by well known means for automatically closing the valve when the pressure is released.

Thus, by reason of the connection of pas-` sage 27 with the water valve VW, through'the means of pipe 34, when the compressor C is in operation pressure from the pipe 3 will be maintained in passage 27 Vand pipe 34, which will be directed against the diaphragm of the valve W for permitting water to flowv from` Y the supply pipe l and nipple 2 to the cooling jacket of the compressor. rWVhen the com`- pressor ceases operation, however,vthe pres-L sure in pipe'3 being relieved, as herinbefore described, the pressure in pipe 34 will. n

also be relieved and the water Valve will be having a substantially greater' surface than the lower end oi valve 33', the. greater pres- `sure in chamber Z) will. hold the valve 33VV closed during the operation of the, com* es pressor. y y

It will be observed that I haveprovided a simple, effective and economica-1 combi-nation valve, capable of being readily installed in a compressed air system, for the purposes is described.

What I claim is:

' l, A valve mechanism comprising an inlet and anroutlet, separate chambers Vconnected with said inlet and said outlet, a valve for regulating communication between said chambers, third chamber permanently closed against communication with said other chambers, and `open `to the atmosphere, means for connectingsaid third chamber with ain:

pressure line, said chamber being normally closed to pressure from said line, and means operable when pressure in said inlet chamber reaches a point below normal, whereby pressure in said pressure line may be relieved ik through said third chamber.

2. A valve mechanism including apbody having an inlet andan outlet, separate cham` bers m communication*therewith, pressure. operated means for ,regulating communication between saidchambers, a third chamber permanentlyV closed against commu-nica- Y Y tion with said inletchamber, ,and open to the atmosphere, a valve in-said thirdl chamber,means for ,connecting a pressure li-newith sald third chamber, and means cooperatingl withY said valve when the pressure in Vsaid inlet vchamber reaches apoint below normal pressure vfor operatingsaid valve to open communication between the pressure line and the atmosphere, for the purpose described.

3. A valve of the character described, having separate inlet and outlet chambers, a partition separating said chambers and provided with an orifice therein for aiording communication between the chambers, the inlet chamber arranged for connection with a pressure line and the outlet chamber arranged for connection with an air receiver, a thirdV chamber adjacent the inlet chamber and permanently closed against communication with said inlet chamber, said third chamber being open to thek atmosphere, means for connecting said third chamber with a pressure line, a valve in the outlet chamber normally closing the orifice in said partition and opened by pressure from the inlet chamber, and

- means for applying pressure to said valve third chamber adjacent the inlet chamber and permanently closed against communication with said inletchamber, said third chamber being open to the atmosphere, means for connecting said third chamber with apressure line, a valve in the outlet chamber normally closing the orifice in said partition and opened by pressure from theinlet chamber,

and means for applying pressure to said valve for closing communication between the inlet and the outlet chambers when pressure in the inlet chamber is reduced to a point below normal, and means operable thereupon for relieving pressure in the pressure line through said third chamber, including a presf sure operated diaphragm interposed between said inlet chamber and said third chamber anda valve operable by said diaphragm to close the communication between the pressure line and said third chamber, and being operable Vwhen pressure is relieved to open the pressure line to the atmosphere.

5. A valve mechanism includingA a body having an inlet and an outlet, separate cham-1` bersV in communication therewith, pressure operated means for regulating communication between said chambers, a third chamber permanently closed against communication with the inlet chamber and open4 to the Vatmosphere, a valve in'said chamber, a diaphragm separating said third chamber from the inlet chamber and operable by pressure for closing said valve, said third chamber having a'pre'ssure line connected therewithA whereby when pressure'in the `inlet' cha'n'iberV reaches al point below `normal pressure said valvevisf operated for opening `the pressure linetothe atmosphere.v f w 6. v'A valve mechanism including fa body having an inlet and an outlet, separatecharnbers communicating with said, inlet and? out-l let, a partition separating saidchambers, and provided with' an orifice therein, la j valvejin Y saidoutlet chamberdisposed over said orificey for regulating communication; between the? inlet and outlet chambers, said valve operableby` pressure from Ythe inlet chamber `to`L open" said orijicedand' operable by-pressure from Vthe outlet chamber to close said orifice',"'a'

third -chamber permanently` vclosed v*against communicationA with said inlet-,chamber and open to the atmosphere, a valve in` said cham- V ber, means for connecting'a pressure line with said third chamber, and means co-operating with said valve when the pressure in said inlet chamber reaches -a point below normal pressure for operating said last mentioned valve to open the pressure line to the atmosphere. l

7. A valve comprising a central'body hav- Y ing a partition therein subdividing thebody into two separate chambers, one of said cham-V bers having an inlet and the other having an outlet, said partition having an oriice afford-` ing communication between said chambers,

a cylinder on said body adjacent said outlet chamber, a valve slidable in said cylinderV over and for regulating the opening of said orifice, means for applying pressure to opp'osite sides of said valve whereby pressure from the inlet chamber'will open and pressure from the outlet chamber will operate said valve to close saidk orifice, a vent connected with said valve and, arranged for connection `with a pressure` line, andV pressure operated means'V for vnormally closing said vent when an 0p- Verating pressure is maintained in the inlet chamber, and for opening said vent when the pressure in theinlet chamber is reduced to a vpoint'below normal pressure.

8. A valve comprising a orifice and forming separate inlet and outlet body having `a central partition `therein provided with .anV

chambers on opposite sides of the'partitioma detachable cylinder mountedon said body and eXtendedinto said outlet chamber, a valve o A slidably held in said cylinder over and Jfor regulating the opening of saidorifice, means for applying pressure lfromsaid inlet 'andr` said outlet chambers respectively to opposite sides of said piston for openingand closing said o'riice, a pressure line connected'with saidvalve, and pressureoperated means for vregulating the opening and closing of said pressure line to the atmosphere.

9. A valve comprising a body, having a central partition therein provided with an oriice and Vforming'separate' inlet and outletV chmbers on opposite sides of the partition,

a detachable cylinder mounted on said'body' and extended into said outletA chamber, a valve slidably held in'said cylinder over and for regulating the opening of said orice,

means for applying pressure from said inlet s andsaid outlet chambers respectively to opposite sides of said piston for 'opening and closing said orifice, a-pressure line connected with said valve, and pressure operated means for regulating the opening and closing of said pressure line to the atmosphere, said last mentioned means including a pressure opera-ted diaphragm Vand a spring operated valve, said diaphragm operating against thev v tension of said spring to close said valve, and

further operated bythe tension of said spring to open said valve. f

. ALBERT VA. SMALLHOUSE.l Y 

